The Catholic Church's preferential option for the poor obligates Catholic schools to ensure that no baptised student is denied a Catholic education because of an inability to pay.

Our Catholic schools receive funding from both the federal and state governments, as well as income from school fees and other fundraising activities.

The setting of fee levels and other compulsory charges in Catholic primary and secondary schools is the responsibility of the individual school, taking into account the allocation of government funds. Each school sets its own fee structure and, if any, discounts are offered for multiple children attending from the one family.

Schools also set their own local levies and charges which will vary from school to school. Levies and charges are available by contacting the school or by accessing the school website.

Most Catholic schools offer a number of methods for paying fees to reduce any financial burden and to assist financial planning. If you have difficulty in meeting the required fee payment, you are encouraged to discuss this with the principal of the school.

Catholic Education Melbourne's policy on school fees recognises the significant contribution that individual schools make to the costs of education through the generation of private income that includes the payment of fees by families. In recognising the role of schools in this area, and in supporting the principle of accessibility of Catholic schools through its needs-based funding formula, Catholic Education Melbourne encourages school communities to establish fee setting and fee collection practices that are consistent with access and equity priorities.

The Catholic Education Commission of Victoria Ltd (CECV) policy formula for allocating funding to Catholic schools also accounts for need in that, all other factors being equal, lower SES schools receive more funding than higher SES schools. In addition, schools are provided with additional financial assistance for each Health Care Card (HCC) student which enables them to offer fee remissions.